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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989764">The Flat on Copple Road</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/static_abyss/pseuds/static_abyss'>static_abyss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, M/M, Minor James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Pre-Canon, casual relationships (not James/Sirius)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:00:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,799</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989764</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/static_abyss/pseuds/static_abyss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They're never meant to be more than a series of kisses and good hard fucks, lost in the darkness overlooking their flat. But James keeps coming back and Sirius keeps letting him in.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black/James Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Rare Pair Shorts - Summer Wishlist Event 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Flat on Copple Road</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracerene/gifts">gracerene</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the Rare Pair Shorts at <a href="https://rarepair-shorts.livejournal.com/">livejournal</a> and <a href="https://rarepair-shorts.dreamwidth.org/">dreamwidth</a>. I was writing a bunch of Ron/Harry, ran across gracerene's prompts and one whole caffeine-fueled afternoon later, here we are.</p><p>For anyone who is interested, information about the fest and wish-granting can be found <a href="https://rarepair-shorts.livejournal.com/680834.html#cutid1">here</a>.</p><p>Please see notes at the end for further warnings.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Outside their tiny flat along Copple Road, the streets are quiet. The dark clouds in the distance and the crack of thunder dim what little light is left from the shop windows. Sirius watches it all from inside their sitting room, something about the darkness and the silence burning through the good cheer of having a flat of his own. A space for himself and James.</p><p>"Want to hear a secret?" James asks.</p><p>He's leaning on the wall next to Sirius, his dark hair falling over his forehead as he tilts his head to look out the window. </p><p>"I'm not in the mood for secrets," Sirius says.</p><p>They haven't talked about last night or the way James had looked with his mouth on Sirius's cock. How hard they'd both been, how with the lights off and the alcohol burning through them, it had been easy to tumble into bed again. It's easy to forget that they don't do that kind of thing anymore.</p><p>"Kissed Moony once," James says, carelessly casual.</p><p>He must know what effect his words have. James never says things to hurt. Not to Sirius.</p><p>"I kissed Moony in Third Year," Sirius says, keeping his eyes on the empty streets and the rolling clouds in the distance. "Wasn't that big of a deal, Prongs. Moony's always been—"</p><p>"Easy?" James asks.</p><p>Sirius looks at him. "Takes one to know one and all that," he says.</p><p>James smiles and Sirius can't believe he doesn't know the effect he has on Sirius. All it would ever take is one look from James and they'd be back at it again. Back to the same messy, uncoordinated, satisfying fucks in cramped corners, in empty classrooms, in the Prefects' bathroom. Never anywhere that was their own though. Never at home, where Mrs Potter made them tea and ruffled their hair. </p><p>But they have their own place now and there's no one around to see them.</p><p>"Fancy another beer?" James asks.</p><p>He's been watching Sirius all evening with that same calculating look in his eye. All afternoon, Sirius has felt James's eyes on him, the way they run up and down Sirius's body, lingering on the fading mark on his neck. It's the one from last week, courtesy of the fit blond who'd put his hand down Sirius's back pocket at the club. The one who'd looked nothing like James and so Sirius had had no problem kicking him out in the morning.</p><p>James doesn't wait for Sirius to answer as he heads to their kitchen. They owe nothing to each other. That was the only condition Sirius ever gave because James is in love with Lily Evans and Sirius won't be second best. But it's James and Sirius doesn't think he imagined the heady, wanting look in James's eyes.</p><p>He follows him into the kitchen, leans against the doorway and watches James rifling through the refrigerator. He turns, hands Sirius the beer, opens his own, takes a long drag.</p><p>"Want to know something?" he asks, and there's the look again. </p><p>Impossible not to know where this goes and still Sirius asks, "What?"</p><p>James looks up slowly, something heavy in his stare. "You kissing Moony. Means we kissed by default Fourth Year. Not Sixth."</p><p>And, oh, Sirius recognises the way appreciation and attraction both linger in James's expression. It's always been there underneath the more common looks, the fondness, the camaraderie.</p><p>"Shame," Sirius says. "I always fancied myself your first."</p><p>James's eyes flick to Sirius's mouth. "You were," he says.</p><p><em>Oh,</em> Sirius thinks.</p><p>*</p><p>Sirius has always liked James on his knees, the way he goes quiet and still whenever Sirius gets a hand in his hair. He's always been open and free with his affections, loyal to his friends, to Sirius. It's always been easy with James, ever since the Hogwarts Express when James Potter had climbed into Sirius's compartment and made himself at home.</p><p>Sirius loves him, has done so since they'd turned sixteen and James had found Sirius sitting by the lake in the rain. He hadn't hesitated to offer Sirius his home, his family. It had been so simple back then to lean forward, to get lost in the smell of wet grass and James's stupid cologne. They hadn't had the same finesse as they do now, hadn't yet figured out how they'd fit together. It hadn't been this perfect aching thing, second nature to Sirius after so many times.</p><p>He sighs, runs James's hair through his fingers. He tugs, watches the way James's eyes go dark, how hard he's breathing even as he stays perfectly still.</p><p>"What do you want?" Sirius asks.</p><p>And he could be asking himself for all the pain it brings him. What <em>does</em> he want?</p><p>"You," James says, the same way he's said it all the other times before. Like he means it. Like it's enough that they're here together in the darkness.</p><p>"Say it again," Sirius says.</p><p>Because he never tires of hearing it and James never tires of saying it. Because of all the things they've done to each other, for some reason, this one hurts the least. Here, they both know where they stand, know how to let their bodies talk for them. There are no marks on Sirius's neck in the comfort of their flat, no Lily or Moony, or any of the men that Sirius brings home almost obsessively.</p><p>"I want you," James says, leaning forward, his mouth brushing against Sirius's hip.</p><p>It's an apology, though Sirius has stopped trying to figure out for what. It's not like they owe anything to each other.</p><p>"Let me show you," James says.</p><p>He sounds ragged, hoarse already and Sirius hasn't let go of his hair.</p><p>"Okay," Sirius says, letting go, giving him the room he needs to lean forward.</p><p>James is still good at this, after all this time. He still knows how deep to go, how slow Sirius likes it. He whines low in his throat when Sirius gets both hands in his hair and holds him down. The slide is wet and smooth and they've always been good at this part, at coming undone at the seams.</p><p>This time, Sirius stops James, pulls him up and lays him down on the bed. This time, they go slow, every moment purposeful so that James can feel them and know what he's doing and with who. This time, Sirius opens him up slowly, holds him down until James is shaking on the bed, his mouth hard and insistent. When Sirius finally pushes in, they both cry out, holding onto to each and trying to breathe past the overwhelming sense of something ending.</p><p>They won't come back from this the same.</p><p>But James says, "please," and tightens his legs around Sirius's thighs and Sirius never pretended to be strong enough to withstand the feel of James moving against him. They're better at this now and James is no longer embarrassed to ask for what he wants. He murmurs the words against Sirius's ears, "faster, harder," incoherent ramblings that they can both pretend mean nothing. Things that get lost in the movement of bodies and the desperate reach for orgasm.</p><p>James comes apart underneath Sirius, back arched, a long quiet groan smothered between their mouths. His hands tighten on Sirius's back and his mouth is hot against the side of Sirius's neck.</p><p>"Come on, Padfoot," he whispers. "Come on."</p><p>James spreads his legs wider and Sirius wants him so much he can feel it in his teeth, feels it like sand down his back. James is hot beneath him, real, alive. It doesn't matter that they've done this before and that it always ends the same way. Sirius tries so hard to keep it going anyway, just long enough that he'll remember later. He pushes into James until he gets lost in the way they move, in the quiet encouragement that falls from James's mouth.</p><p>"I love you," Sirius says, the way he always says it, right at the end when the pleasure is overwhelming and they can both pretend he doesn't mean it.</p><p>Except, this time James doesn't let him pull away. This time, his kisses are hard enough to bruise and with the pattering of rain against the bedroom window, Sirius hears it, that quiet confession. A thing so fragile that Sirius is afraid it'll shatter if he were to speak.</p><p>"Love you too," James says.</p><p>*</p><p>They're never meant to be more than a series of kisses and good hard fucks, lost in the darkness overlooking their flat. But James keeps coming back and Sirius keeps letting him in.</p><p>"I love her and Harry's the best thing that's ever happened to me. But Evans and I realised we don't have to be together to raise him and love him," James says.</p><p>Sirius pulls the cigarette from his mouth and watches the ash fall off the end, over his balcony and into the street below. "What are you saying?" he asks, not daring to hope.</p><p>James runs a hand through his hair, tousling it until it's messy. They could be back at Hogwarts for all the memories it brings back, fresh from a Quidditch match, all coiled energy and barely suppressed emotion.</p><p>"Hey, listen," James says, breathless, nervous laughter spilling between them. "If Lilly and I...I mean, when Lily and I...when this is all over, can I come for you? Will you wait?"</p><p>Sirius thinks of the lonely nights in his cramped flat after James left, the memories of James's lips against his, their limbs tangling together at night. He thinks of Moony who'd taken pity on him and kissed him once so that Sirius could be less sad. Of how anytime it rains, Sirius swears he can smell James's cologne.</p><p>After everything, it's an easy enough decision to make.</p><p>"Yeah," Sirius says. "You know I'd do anything for you, James."</p><p>James smiles and leans in slowly, gives Sirius enough time to pull away. The kiss when it comes is just as slow, a gentle thing that brings hunger rushing into Sirius's chest. He hasn't noticed how much he's missed this until now, when James makes a small eager noise and leans in harder.</p><p>"I'll come back," James says when he pulls away. "Just have to see Dumbledore about the cloak. Something about an experiment. I wasn't really listening."</p><p>"When do you ever?" Sirius asks, fondly, threading his fingers through James's belt loops.</p><p>"Fair point," James says.</p><p>The night wind blows James's hair over his forehead, his eyes bright under the Muggle streetlights. He looks handsome and charming, vibrant youth he's decided, for some reason, to spend on Sirius.</p><p>In the end, this is how Sirius remembers him, young and laughing, arms around Sirius's waist as he kisses him one last time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Though both Sirius and James could be said to have other relationships, those aren't explicitly stated to be monogamous and so I didn't tag for infidelity. There's some mention of Lily/James together at the end though they are in the beginnings of terminating their relationship, which might make the last scene of this fic sort of infidelity. Just in case that's a thing anyone wants to avoid.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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